In everyday working life, everyone has the feeling from time to time that the days go by quickly and you still don’t make much progress because of countless distractions. The Pomodoro technique can solve this problem.
The Pomodoro Method is a time management method that aims to improve focus and eliminate the typical productivity killers:
- Incoming messages (e-mails, WhatsApp, Messenger etc.)
- Social networks
- Getting lost in the vastness of the Internet when reading articles
- Incoming calls
- Suddenly arising thoughts
- …
The list can certainly be replaced by many other examples.
But how does the Pomodor technique work?
Pomodoro technique: How it works
Basically the way the Pomodoro technique works is very simple and consists of 5 simple steps:
- Step 1: Select a task to be completed
- Step 2: Set the timer to 25 minutes (e.g. kitchen clock, timer on smartphone, etc.)
- Step 3: Work on the task until the timer expires It is important to concentrate exclusively on the task during this time.
- Step 4: After the timer has expired, take a short break (approx. 5 minutes) and tackle the next task
- Step 5: After 4 completed tasks, take a longer break between 15 and 30 minutes and then start again at step 1.
Theoretically, the Pomodoro technique could complete about 13-15 tasks in an 8-9 hour working day.
So far so good. But does the Pomodoro technique work?
As always with any new methods and life hacks I am sceptical. The methods usually sound good, but in practice they usually fail. That is why I tried the Pomodoro technique for a week. These were my first experiences:
- The method is rather tiring for me personally. The productivity was very good at the beginning. At the latest after the 3rd or 4th loop, productivity tended to decline due to fatigue.
- Due to the short intervals of 25 minutes I am torn out of the flow. The bottom line was that I made slow progress, especially with larger tasks.
- In my opinion, the method works best when you have many small todos that need to be worked through.
Since then I have been using the Pomodoro technique from time to time, but not every day. I find the time management method good when I have many small but important tasks to do and need to move forward. This is where the technique really shows its advantages. However, I only use the technique for two days in a row at most, as it costs too much energy and can otherwise end up in a low.
Final Conclusion:
Like every life hack, the Pomodoro technique has its advantages and disadvantages. The method is perfectly suited for a variety of small tasks. It is conceivable, for example, to have a Pomodoro day once a month on which you can work through all the small annoying tasks and get your breath back. The biggest weakness of the Pomodoro method is when working on large projects. Here the method leads to being pulled out of the flow. Here I prefer to work on one piece for about 90-120 minutes and then take a break.At the end of the day, everyone has to try out for themselves whether the Pomodoro technique is suitable for their work in general or whether it can be used to work on specific points.
Further links to the Pomodoro method:
- Web-App: marinaratimer.com
- Book: The Pomodoro Technique: The Acclaimed Time-Management System That Has Transformed How We Work*
- Buy 25 minutes hourglasses: Amazon*
- Buy Tomato Timer: Amazon*
